In 1991 community-based rehabilitation (CBR) approach based on World Health Organization’s Model was introduced in Mongolia. The purpose of this study was to conduct a participatory assessment of the CBR program utilizing the principles of Freirian praxis and evolve approaches to strengthen the program. Participatory data collection was done at the village (somon), province (aimag), and national levels through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Since 1991, the primary CBR activities that have been implemented in eleven provinces in the Western part of country include training of health personnel at intermediate level in medical rehabilitation and making of simple orthotic and prosthetic appliances. In the 9 years the program has trained close to 2,400 family doctors, village (somon) doctors, and feldshers (rural health workers). Through participatory discussions, recommendations and specific approaches were developed for strengthening the core CBR planning team, developing local leadership, enhancing participation of key implementing agencies, geographical delimitation of the program, capacity building of the local non-governmental organizations, and improving the content and process of CBR training for intermediate level functionaries. Community-based rehabilitation approaches are required in Mongolia to cater to the needs of persons with disability.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants in this session will be able to: 1. Describe the disability issues in Mongolia. 2. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the community-based rehabilitation program being implemented in Mongolia. 3. Apply the participatory evaluation methods used in this study to their situations.
Keywords: Disability, International
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